Internal tire-armor.



Patented .1f am. lll, 1919.

I. B. ZHVIDARS.

INTERNAL TIRE ARMOR.

APPLICATION m20 MAY|3.1918.

securing the tire to JOI-IN B. Zilli/IDAB'S, 0F SAN FRANCISCU, CALIFORNIA.

INTERNAL TlRE-AMMOR.

nantais.

@riginal applicationled September 7, 191'?, Serial No. 190,168.

Specification of Letters Patent.

ljatented Jan.. 1d, 1916.

Divided and this application filed May 13,

1ere. serial no; canalis.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that l, Joni: B. ZIMDAns, a citizen of the United States, residing at San Francisco, in the county of San lFrancisco and State oi California, have invented new and useful improvements in internal Tire-Airliners, of which the following is al specification.

rlhe present invention relates to improvements in internal tire armors.` the present application being a division of an application for pneumatic tires filed by me September 7, 1917, Serial No. 190,108.

lin the accompanying drawing, Figure 1 is.` a transverse sectional view of a pneumatic tire constructed in accordance with my invention showing a transverse section of tire armor in place; Fig. 2 is a broken sectional view on a reduced scale oi a protector detached from a tire; Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view ot `a protector detached. Novel features herein disclosed but not claimed are claimed in co-pending divisional applications.` y Reterringto' the drawing, 1 indicates one oit the spokes oit a wheel to which isk secured a rim 2 having on one side an outwardly extending flange 3 and on the other side a shoulder 3a, 4the flange 3 forming a groove 3*,the purpose of which is to receive a retaining ring, not here shown as not being part oi" the present invention, and the shoulder 3a together with the retaining ring the rim. Around said rim are arranged the two sections d ot a hollow sheet metal ring. The hollow sections d have inner ends 7 abutting against each other, and broad outer ends 8 which extend, in general direction, in planes transverse to the anis ci' the wheel, and each section has an inner cylindrical side 5 contacting with the cylindrical surface ot the rim, and an outer side 6, which is concave in cross-section, so that the sides 6 ot the two `sections ot the metal ring have a substantially semi-circular torni in cross-section.

Said ring sections by long bolts 9, the

d are secured together heads 10 ot which are received in a groove 11 in the outer wide end 8 of one ring section d, `while nuts 13 are screwed upon the otherends oi said bolts and are received in a corresponding groove 14 in the wide' end; 8 oil the other ring' section i.

Surrounding the hollow ring sections 4.- and received in the concave outer sides 6 thereof is an endless pneumatic tube 16 oi canvas, inflated in the usual manner, having a thin inner facing` 17 oi, sott rubber and secured to a thick outer coating 18 ci a portion thereof, also oi sott rubber, which varies greatly in thickness. 'llhe coating` 18 does not entend completely around the tube 16 and it is not interposed between the tube 16 and the hollow ring sections 1, but it begins on each side of the tube 16 where the sides oi said tube leave the ring sections fl and tits in the space between the sides oi' the tube 16 and the side portions et a tread or casing 19.

Said casing 19 is secured to the ring sections d in the following manner: Each ring section is formed in its wide side with a circular `groove 21, and the edges of the casing are formed with beads 22 ot metal or other rigid material, which enter said grooves. They are retained therein by means of rings 23, which are secured to the ,wide ends 8 of the ring sections l by screws 9A. and which have inwardly extending portions 26 fitting tightly in said grooves 21 and wedging the beads therein and outward; extensions Q7, which overlap the inner edges or" the casing and retain its inner edges in the grooves 21. The casing is formed with a tread 28 having, embedded in rubber, layers of canvas 29, and similar in general character to those at present in use.

Between the tread and the pneumatic tube is interposed a protecting ring 31. rllhis ring comprises, in order proceeding from the outside inward., first, an outer ring 32 ot soft rubber, then a circular series ot rectangular protecting blocks 38 (with edges rounded on' and their longer measurement being cross-wise of the tire), these blocks being ot wood or other impenetrable material, spaced slightly from each other, then an inner ring 34 ot' sott rubber, then another series oi blocks 36 of impenetrable material spaced slightly Vfrom each other, and then an inner ring or covering 35 ot sott rubber. Said rings 82, 811, 315, are all connected with each other at the edges, so that the blocks 33 and 36 are completely inclosed, and said rings and blocks are all cemented together by rubber. Theblocks et' each serre are stapgered relatively to iin tions, relieves, to

those 'of the other series, so that the spaces between the blocks of each series register with the central portions of the blocks of the other series. It will thus be seen that it is impossible for a nail or other sharp instrument to penetrate through both series of blocks. The blocks ofthe inner series are preferablyconvex so `as to be thickest toward the center of their longer measurement, but also slightly concave at the centers of their inner-:surfaces as shown-at 37, andv all the blocks, both at their ends and at their edgesv where they` are spaced from each other, are rounded so as to avoid any cutting of the rubber in contact therewith; The' rubber intervening between the inner tube 16 andthe casing 19or between the inner tubes' and. thejblocks 36, `varies greatly in thickness, being thinnest-next to themiddle portionsof the sides of the tube 16 and thickest next 'the ends of the blocks 86.

It will be seen vthat my improved tire is-.not subject'rto punctures such as -arefcommon with ordinary pneumatic tires,v and that the only part exposed to wear is the tread, which can be renewed at a comparatively low cost when worn out.

The-blocks 36'of the inner series have liuted portions, the purpose of which is to take-up slack intheperiphery ofthe inner tube 16,which existswhen said tube is not fully inflated so as to assume a circular form;-the convex shape-of theinner-series of blocks isto provide greater and quicker resiliency when pressed against said tube 16. Whenl the`vl tube isi fully inflated it will assume asubstantiallyl circular form in cross-section, as shownin dotted lines.

Itwillbe seen that myinvention differs from prior constructions-in that the pneumatic-.tubcis ineXpansible as distinguished :tromthe softrubber tubes-heretofore used tor` pneumatic tubes. When inflated it assumes a form asnearly as possible circular in cross-section which, by thereby increasing ythe'area withinthe tube, takes up allthe slack inthe cavity'left betweenthe flexible shield and the rim.

It will be observed that my invention differs from ordinary pneumatic tires in that there is interposed, between the inner tube andthe-treadof the tire, material. that is, forthe most part, inelastic, as contrasted with the. large amount of rubber used on the outside or inside ofthe tire in some present dayconstructions. The contraction .and eX- pansionofthis ,rubber in. these old construca vcertain extent, the in- Hated innerk tube of. its work vin, contracting andv expanding, butwith :agreater loss ot energy, on account of the fact that air can contractand expand' much more readily and with much less loss of energy than solid elastic material. Consequently, it is an advantagethat no attempt should. be made to take up the shocks, caused by the ruiming on the road-bed, by means of rubber, but that the whole of the work should be thrown upon the elastic air within the inner tube, and this I accomplish in my invention b v interposing as much as possible only inclastic material between the inner tube and the outside of the tire, the intervening.portions of rubber only being of suilicient thickness to form a container for the different pieces of impenetrable material to hold the same in their proper relations and to render the shield liexiblein a circumferential direction. thus constituting a single, flexible, continuous, annular belt.

Another purpose of my inventionv is to provide atire-that will not require an outer casing with stiff heavy sides as those of the casings in presentuse or with sides extending inwardly so that they in` themselves form the circle inclosing the inner-tube, or with the heavy clencher or heavy bead construction, lbut which will instead permit of and have an outer casing or shoe constructed with relativelyT thin flexible sides, which need extend only a shortdistance beyond the center of the circumference of the inner tube, and are there removably fastened to the metal tire section, thus providing a highly flexible and inexpensive and easily replaceable wearing shoe.

I claim 1. In a resilient tire, in combination, a pneumatic tube, a casing or shoe around'the tube having a tread portion, and, interposed between the tread portion and the-pneumatic tube, an annular-flexible shield comprising inner andiouter series of impenetrable devices with rounded edges arranged side by side in each series with their longer dimension in the transverse direction of the shield and tire, the innerseries being convex on both their inner and outer surfaces so that they are thicker toward their center, and the devices of the outer series being concave on their inner surfaces, and convex on their outer surfaces, the devices of the two series being in staggered relation to each other, and material surrounding each device and each series of devices, said material and devices and series being cemented to each other sov as to maintain saiddevices and series in their proper relation to each other and to form a single flexible continuous annular belt.

2. In a resilient tire, in combination, a pneumatic tube, a casing or shoe around the tube, having a tread portion and sides eX- tending inwardly and slightly beyond the middle of the sides of the pneumatic tube,` and, interposed between the tread portion and the pneumatic tube, an annular flexible shield, comprising inner and outer series ot non-metallic impenetrable devices with rounded edges arranged side by side in each series with their longer dimensions in the transverse direction of the shield and tire, and the devices of the inner series being convex on both their inner and outer surfaces so that they are thicker toward their center, except that at, and on both sides of, the center ofthe inner surfaces the same are concave and tinted transversely of the ring and tire, and the devices of the outer series being concave on their inner surfaces and convex on their outer surfaces, the devices of the two series being in staggered relationv ve cents each, by Washington. D..

to each other, the spaces between the devices of each series reglstering with the middle portions ofthe devices of the other series, and rubber surrounding each device and each series of devices, said rubber and devices and series being cemented and vulcanized to eachother so as to maintain said devices and series in their proper relation to each other and to form a single flexible con` tinuous annular belt.

JOHN B. ZIMDARS.

addressing the Commissioner of Patents, 

